Laser hair removals

Unwanted Hair
After Botox injections removal of unwanted hair is the second most popular cosmetic procedure in recent years for women as well as for an increasing number of men. Treatments include the more traditional and often temporary methods, ranging from depilatories, epilators, shavers, waxing kits and electrolysis, to high-tech procedures such as intense pulsed light and laser systems.

In many cases unwanted hair is considered a cosmetic problem. In particular, women often experience additional hair growth during both pregnancy and menopause. Some diseases also have excessive hair growth as a symptom, but they are less common.

Skin and Hair Color Considerations
One of the biggest considerations before using laser hair removal is the skin color of a potential patient and the color of their hair. Simply put, the lighter the patient's skin, the easier it is to use laser services for hair removal. For people with light or fair skin, fewer treatments will be required; in addition, results will be obtained faster because of the fair pigment of the skin. People with darker skin should know that results will be slower because of the necessity of more treatments.

With regards to hair color, however, dark hair is easier to treat than light or red hair. As a matter of fact, blond and red hair is extremely difficult to treat in comparison to dark hair because it contains the pigment Pheomelanin. This pigment is extremely difficult to penetrate through laser. On the contrary, Eumelanin is easily penetrable and is quite pervasive in black and brown hair.

How Does Hair Grow?
Human hairs are comprised of three distinct parts: the bulb at the base of the hair follicle that produces hair, the shaft, and the hair follicle itself. Both the bulb and the shaft are embedded within the skin, leaving only the hair visible to the naked eye. For long-term hair removal, the hair follicle must be destroyed along with its germinating centers that are in the bulb.

Another challenge to the hair removal process is the ability to produce long-term effects. This is due to the fact that hair is destroyed only during the active phase of the growth cycle. As a result of these staggered growth cycles, patients usually require multiple treatments over several weeks to months for long-term hair removal results.

How Do Lasers and Intense Pulse Light Sources Remove Hair?
Laser hair removal systems gently remove unwanted hair. While dermatologic surgeons continue to research the exact science of laser hair removal, it appears that the light energy causes thermal injury to the hair follicle. This occurs because laser light is converted into heat as it passes through the skin and is absorbed in the target pigment melanin found in the hair follicle. When the temperature reaches a high enough level in a hair follicle during its active phase, the targeted hair structures are disabled, thus inhibiting hair re-growth. In clinical trials to date using a number of different lasers and intense pulsed light hair removal systems, some test sites remained hair-free for up to 2 years.

What Types of Lasers and Light Sources Are Used for Hair Removal?
There are several laser and laser-like devices currently used for hair removal. These include, but are not limited to:

Alexandrite
The long-pulse alexandrite laser achieves deep penetration into the dermis where the hair follicles are located. The heat build-up in the hair shafts disables those follicles in the active growth phase.

Diode
The diode laser is a very efficient device that contains small diodes or semiconductors that are arranged together to produce light. The diode laser has a longer wavelength than other lasers used for hair removal, which may improve treatment results on darker skin types.

Light-Based Sources
Intense pulsed light devices operate on similar principles to lasers. Using the photo-epilation process, the device offers a broad spectrum of light to treat a variety of hair and skin colors as well as hair depths.

What Are the Advantages of Permanent Laser Hair Reduction?
Permanent Laser hair reduction is a non-invasive method of photo-epilation, which does not require needles or messy chemical creams. Since thousands of hairs can be zapped in a single treatment session, large areas like the back, shoulders, arms and legs can be effectively and efficiently treated.

What Are the Limitations of Permanent Laser Hair Reduction?
While laser hair reduction is an excellent treatment option, research efforts continue to enhance the procedure. Although permanent hair removal is the goal of therapy, only 70% of the hair is permanently removed. That is why the FDA does not allow the term permanent hair removal. The thirty percent of hair that grows back is lighter in color and thinner. In addition, permanent laser hair reduction typically requires multiple treatments, which can make it a more costly hair removal alternative. Possible side effects, though very rare, may include damage to the surrounding healthy tissue in the form of scars, burns, redness and swelling. Special considerations are important when lasers are used on darker skin tones to allow for safe and effective treatment. It is best to seek a center where the technicians or nurses are supervised by a dermatologist. A patch test should be performed on a small area first to safely determine the patient’s response to therapy.